Toy balloon sealing means and method



I. DORMAN TOY BALLOON SEALING MEANS AND METHOD Oct. 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 24, 1958 INVENTOR laldur'e Harman W448i J AGENT Oct. 29, 1963 1. DORMAN TOYBALLOON SEALING MEANS AND METHOD 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 24, 1958 INVENTOR. Durrnan Isidore AGENT United States Patent 3,16%,336 TOY BALLOGN SEALING MEANS AND METHGD Isidore Dorman, Whitestone, Qorinan Mfg. (10., l12-1 14th St. College Point, NY.) Filed Dec. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 782,736 6 Claims. ((Il. 46-36) This invention relates to balloons, and more particularly to toy balloons and means and methods for sealing the same after inflation.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved sealing means for a toy balloon, which means consists of an advantageous, simplest possible or conceivable construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel toy balloon sealing means of simplified construction as above stated, which means is moreover extremely effective in maintaining the balloon inflated for an extended period of time virtually to its original inflated size.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved toy balloon sealing means as above characterized, which may be easily put into operation and which lends itself especially to inflation by means of a pump or similar device.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a novel balloon sealing means which is extremely inexpensive to produce, whereby the cost of balloons provided with such means will be increased by only an inappreciable amount.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved method of inflating and sealing toy balloons.

In accomplishing the above objects, there is provided in accordance with the invention a new combination of a toy balloon having a body portion and a tubular neck portion, the said neck portion having on its inner walls a pressure-sensitive adhesive adapted to adhere together in intimate engagement opposite areas of the said inner walls of the neck portion, thereby to effectively seal the neck and maintain the balloon in an inflated condition.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a simplified and effective balloon sealing means as above set forth, utilizing a pressure-sensitive adhesive, wherein the adhesive coating is protected prior to being put into use, in a simple and novel manner. In one embodiment of the invention the protection of the adhesive coating is accomplished by merely rolling back the mouth portion of the balloon neck into a tight cur-1 wherein the adhesive coating is completely contained in the curl and prevented from coming into contact with other surfaces. In another embodiment of the invention a simple and inexpensive cover member is provide-d, which acts as a protective skin or covering for the adhesive coating. Such cover member might be provided on the exterior of a rolled-back portion of the balloon neck or may be provided on the interior of the balloon neck as shown in still another embodiment of the invention. In a further embodiment of the invention the balloon neck may be folded twice upon itself, the second fold constituting a covering means for the adhesive coating prior to the latter being put into use.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Wherein several embodiments of the invention are illustrated, similar components have been given like characters wherever possible throughout the several views, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an axial sectional view of a toy balloon provided with the improved sealing means of the invention, said balloon being in uninflated condition.

PIG. 2 is a view like FIG. 1, but showing the balloon in fully inflated condition, eld in a pump cylinder.

(FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the neck portion of the balloon closed and sealed by the improved closure means of the invention.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the neck of the balloon, taken on the line 44- of FIG. 3.

:FIG. 5 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of a balloon neck having the improved sealing means of the invention, this view illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of the neck portion of a toy balloon having the sealing means of the invention, this figure representing still another embodiment and illustrating a method of inflating the balloon.

FIG. 7 is an axial sectional view of a toy balloon provided with the improved sealing means of the invention, said balloon being in uninflated condition and having a rolled-back neck portion of tubular shape.

FIG. 8 is a View like FIG. 7 but showing the balloon in fully inflated condition, prior to unrolling and sealing the neck.

FlG. 9 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of a balloon neck having double or reverse bends to protect the adhesive coating thereof.

Referring first to FIGS. l-4, there is illustrated a toy balloon 16 having any conventional type of body portion 11, the latter being provided with a tubular neck portion 12 which is mainly of the usual or conventional construction and is normally smaller in diameter or cross section than the body portion 11. in FIGS. 1 and 2 the neck portion 12 is shown as being rolled back on itself, whereas in FIGS. 3 and 4 the neck portion 12 is shown as having been unrolled, with a part of it tightly closed and having generally a flat, thin configuration.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 the neck portion 12 of the balloon is indicated as having a rolled back part =14 and a main part 15 which latter the rolled-back part 114 overlies. The rolling back of the neck portion 12 is considered as the main feature of the invention, and distinguishes the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-5 and 7-9. It will be understood that toy balloons employing the invention may be advantageously constructed and used with the tubular neck portions rolled back, as in these figures.

In accordance with the invention, the inner Walls of the tubular neck portion 12 of the toy balloon are provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating 17 similar generally to that employed in conjunction with pressuresensitive tapes and other articles now commonly found on the market. The provision of the pressure-sensitive coating 17 on the interior walls of the tubular neck portion 12 of the balloon comprises the novel sealing means provided by the invention, by which the balloon it} after being inflated may be quickly and easily securely sealed by merely pinching together the coated neck portion, as shown in FIG. 3. I have found that a sealing means as thus provided is extremely effective in maintaining a leakproof closure of the balloon, especially when the sealing means is disposed closely adjacent the free end or edges of the neck portion, leaving the main part 15 of the neck portion unsealed, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 3. It is not essential that the pressure-sensitive adhesive be located only at the areas immediately adjacent the free end or edges of the neck portion 12, as I have found that such sealing means is effective when disposed at various locations within the neck portion 12. However, as illustrated by the embodiment of FIGS. 14 the provision of the pressure-sensitive coating 17 on the rolled back part of the neck portion automatically disposes such adhesive coating adjacent the free end or edges of the neck portion in the manner shown in FIG. 3, whereupon the uncoated main part. 15 of the neck portion assumes some of the stress existing in the Walls of the body portion 11 and relieves the sealing part 14 of the neck portion of certain stresses which would more strongly tend to separate the adhered walls thereof.

It should be noted that an important advantage is obtained with the construction shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in that the curled portion 14 of the neck completely encloses the adhesive coating 17 and protects the latter, preventing it from coming in contact with other surfaces which might impair the effectiveness of the seal when the two coated opposing wall surfaces are brought together. As clearly seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 the adhesive coated portion of the balloon neck is disposed inside of the curl. The adhesive need be applied only to a band about A or /8 wide, near the mouth of the balloon. After the adhesive has sufliciently dried, the neck is then merely rolled back sufficiently to cover the adhesive.

In practicing the method of sealing the toy balloon as provided by the invention, and referring now specifically to FIGS. 1-4, the neck portion 12 of the balloon would be coated on the inside by an appropriate tool, then allowed to dry to an extent where it is no longer very tacky and will not stick strongly to an adjoining uncoated balloon surface, and thereafter rolled back as illustrated in FlG. 1. Or the neck portion could be first rolled back as illustrated in FIG. 7, and thereafter provided with the pressuresensitive coating 17. The balloons may then be inflated by any suitable pump or equivalent device 18, see FIG. 2, having a cylinder with an end opening, or else as seen in FIG. 6, having an inflating tube 27 which is inserted in the main part 15 of the tubular neck portion. Thereafter, the inflated balloon may be removed from the inflating device, preferably by first pinching the balloon adjacent the neck pant 15 to prevent the egress of air. Then it is only necessary to press together the coated surfaces, to seal the neck. With rolled-back necks the rolled-back part 14 of the neck portion is unrolled and pinched together in the manner shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. The neck portion 12 of the balloon will now be completely, tightly sealed, and will be effective in maintaining virtually the original inflation of the balloon for extended periods of time.

By curling back the neck of the balloon as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the adhevise coating 17 is protected from further exposure to air and consequent drying out, and this is an important factor with certain types of adhesives. The curl prevents the coated portions from sticking to each other during shipping and handling of the balloons, and prevents the coated portion of one balloon from adboring to a coated portion of adjoining balloons. Often, during handling or inflation the neck of the balloon may he accidentally squeezed, and by the provision of the curl any handling of this type will not inadvertently cause the neck of the balloon to become adhered together and sealed prematurely. Also, the curl as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 enables the balloon to be used with practically all present inflating devices, without requiring the use of adapters.

If desired, the neck portion 12 may be tied or otherwise secured to the end of a string or stick, or attached to associated devices by various means, and in such cases the seal effected by the pressure-sensitive coating will not be disturbed or impaired, but instead in most instances the effectiveness of the seal will be enhanced.

Another type of roll-back construction for the balloon neck is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. Here, the rolled-back portion 14 remains of tubular shape, whereas in FIGS. 1 and 2 the rolled-back portion 14 is in the form of a tight curl.

For purposes of shipping and storage, the rolled-back and coated neck portion of the balloon it} may be protected by the provision of a suitable removable cover member or strip. Such removable strip is illustrated in FIG. 5, in the form of a plastic band 26 which may be Wrapped around the rolled back part 14 of the neck in engagement with the pressure-sensitive coating 17 thereof. The plastic band 20 may have a suitably prepared slippery surface enabling it to be readily removed from the coated neck part, as will be readily understood. In FIG. 5 the end portions 21 and 22 of the plastic band 20 are shown as overlapping each other, by which removal of the plastic band may be facilitated. In place of the band 26 formed of a single strip of material, a seamless tubular band or on er suitable cover member may be provided, as will now be understood. When the band 20 is shown as being provided on the tubular rolled-back portion 14 of FIGS. 7 and 8, it will be understood that the band 26 is generally unnecessary on the tightly curled rolled-back portion 14 shown in FIG. 1 and 2.

A variation of the rolled-back portion disclosed in FIGS. 7 and 8 is illustrated in FIG. 9 wherein the neck portion has double or reverse bends, with the pressure-sensitive coating 17 disposed as illustrated. With this construction the pressure-sensitive coating is not exposed, but instead is protected by a part of the neck portion of the balloon.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 6, wherein the balloon 1% having the tubular neck portion 12. is supplied without a part of the neck portion rolled back. As in the other embodiments of the invention, the inside walls of the neck portion 12 are provided with a pressure-sensitive adhesive for the purpose of enablying the neck portion to be securely sealed, to prevent egress of air or other fluid from the inflated balloon 10. if desired, the coating of the adhesive on the interior walls of the neck portion 12 may be carried out by an appropriate tool inserted in the neck, or it may be effected by first rolling back a part of the neck portion as already described in connection with FIGS. 7 and 8.

After the neck portion 12 of the balloon shown in FIG. 6 has been suitably coated with the pressuresensitive substance, a tubular protective or cover member 25 is provided, said member being inserted in the coated part of the neck portion 12. As shown, the cover member 25 may be constituted of any suitable material. Preferably it has a slippery non-adhesive outer surface, such as may be advantageously obtained by coating the said outer surface with a tetrafluoroe tbylene plastic composition. Or, the entire tube or cover member 25 may be constituted of tetrafluoroethylene plastic substance, known commercially as Teflon.

When so arranged, the balloon may be safely shipped and stored, without danger of the pressure-sensitive coating being impaired in any manner. When it is desired to inflate such a balloon, an inflating tool 27, attached to a suitable pump or source of fluid under ressure, may be inserted in the tubular cover member 25. After the balloon 10 has been inflated it may be temporarily pinched adjacent the neck portion 12 and the said neck portion may be removed from the protective tube or cover member 25, preferably while leaving the latter on the inflating tube 27. It is then merely necessary to pinch together the opposite coated portions of the tubular neck 12 whereupon an effective seal will be had, preventing the balloon from becoming deflated. The cover member or insert 25 may now be removed from the inflating tube 27, in readiness for another inflating and sealing operation.

By the use of a slippery plastic substance such as tetrafluoroethylene plastic or the like in fabricating the cover members or insert tubes 25, the procedure of removing the tubes from the inflated balloons, and also from the inflating tool 27 is greatly facilitated.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that I have provided an extremely simple and inexpensive, yet effective and reliable sealing means in conjunction with toy balloons. Such sealing means readily lends itself to inflation of the balloons by pumping or compressed gas equipment, and is quickly and easily made operable by the mere act of pinching together the coated part of the neck portion. The sealing means is moreover reliable in maintaining the balloon virtually in a fully inflated condition, and may be applied to conventional balloon structures with but inappreciable additional expense. Also, the improved sealing means greatly speeds the operation of sealing toy balloons and makes the same much more convenient. It furthermore does not interfere with subsequent attachment of the sealed neck portion to other devices, as might be desired.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the claims, and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. The new combination of a deflated toy balloon having a membraneous-like thin-walled body portion capable of great expansion and a rolled-back tubular neck portion at all times disposed outside of said body portion, said neck portion comprising an annular wall made up of superposed layers constituting a multiple thickness structure the layers of which are in intimate engagement with each other, at least one of said layers having on outwardly disposed surfaces thereof a pressure-sensitive exposed adhesive coating adapted to adhere together in intimate engagement opposite areas of the walls or" the neck portion when the walls are brought together for the purpose of sealing the neck portion to maintain the balloon in an inflated condition, said balloon further having cover means disposed around the outside of and in engagement with the said exposed adhesive coating to protect the same while the neck portion is in rolled-back condition.

2. The new combination of a deflated toy balloon having a membraneous-like, thin-walled body portion capable of great expansion and a rolled-back tubular neck portion at all times disposed outside of said body portion, said neck portion comprising an annular wall made up of superposed layers constituting a multiple thickness structure the layers of which are in intimate engagement with each other, at least one of said layers having on outwardly disposed surfaces thereof a pressure-sensitive exposed adhesive coating adapted to adhere together in intimate engagement opposite areas of the Walls of the neck portion when the walls are brought together for the purpose of sealing the neck portion to maintain the balloon in an inflated condition; and a cover band of slippery material encircling said rolled-back part of the neck portion and covering the said exposed pressuresens-itive adhesive coating to protect the same.

3. The new combination of a deflated toy balloon having a membraneous-like, thin-walled body portion capable of great expansion and a rolled-back tubular neck portion at all times disposed outside of said body portion, said neck portion comprising an annular wall made up of superposed layers constituting a multiple thickness structure the layers of which are in intimate engagement with each other, at least one of said layers having on outwardly disposed surfaces thereof a pressure-sensitive exposed adhesive coating adapted to adhere together in intimate engagement opposite areas of said walls of the neck portion when the walls are brought together for the purpose of sealing the neck portion to maintain the balloon in an inflated condition; and a cover band encircling said rolled-back part or" the neck portion and covering the said exposed pressure-sensitive adhesive coating to protect the same, said band comprising a continuous plastic ring having a slippery surface for engagement with the adhesive.

4. The new combination of a deflated toy balloon having a membraneous-like, thin-walled body portion capable of great expansion and a rolled-back tubular neck portion at all times disposed outside of said body portion, said neck portion comprising an annular wall made up of superposed layers constituting a multiple thickness structure the layers of which are in intimate engagement with each other, at least one of said layers having on outer walls thereof a pressure-sensitive exposed adhesive coating adapted to adhere together in intimate engagement opposite areas of the walls of the neck portion when the Walls are brought together for the purpose of seal-ing the neck portion to maintain the balloon in an inflated condition, said rolled-back tubular neck portion having a substantially cylindrical shape, said balloon further having cover means disposed around the outside of and in engagement with the said exposed adhesive coating to protect the same while the neck portion is in rolled-back condition.

5. The new combination of a deflated toy balloon having a membraneous-like, thin-walled body portion capable of great expansion and a rolled-back tubular neck portion at all times disposed outside of said body portion, said neck portion comprising an annular wall made up of superposed layers constituting a multiple thickness structure the layers of which are in intimate engagement with each other, at least one of said layers having on Walls thereof a pressure-sensitive adhesive adapted to adhere together in intimate engagement opposite areas of the walls of the neck portion when the walls are brought together for the purpose of sealing the neck portion to maintain the balloon in an inflated condition, said rolled-back neck portion being in the form of a tight curl, and said pressure-sensitive adhesive being disposed in the said curl.

6. The method of inflating, and efiecting a seal at the exteriorly disposed neck of, a toy balloon having a body portion which is capable of great expansion, which includes the steps of rolling back a part of the said neck to expose the inner surfaces thereof outwardly, then applying a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating to the said outwardly exposed wall surfaces of said rolled-back part of the neck, thereafter further rolling part of the neck over the coated neck surface to protect the coating thereof, then inflating the balloon, unrolling said rolled-back part of the neck, and thereafter pressing together the coated surfaces of the neck to cause the same to adhere to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 696,992 Miller Apr. 8, 1902 

1. THE NEW COMBINATION OF A DEFLATED TOY BALLOON HAVING A MEMBRANEOUS-LIKE THIN-WALLED BODY PORTION CAPABLE OF GREAT EXPANSION AND A ROLLED-BACK TUBULAR NECK PORTION AT ALL TIMES DISPOSED OUTSIDE OF SAID BODY PORTION, SAID NECK PORTION COMPRISING AN ANNULAR WALL MADE UP OF SUPERPOSED LAYERS CONSTITUTING A MULTIPLE THICKNESS STRUCTURE THE LAYERS OF WHICH ARE IN INTIMATE ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID LAYERS HAVING ON OUTWARDLY DISPOSED SURFACES THEREOF A PRESSURE-SENSITIVE EXPOSED ADHESIVE COATING ADAPTED TO AD- 